It was so inspiring to have this conversation with  the multi-talented singer-songwriter and pianist Vienna Teng . This transcript is linked to the podcast and video versions of this interview.

In this episode we’re featuring  the band Few of a Kind’s new album, a beautiful collaboration with Vienna, Brandon Ridenour, Ben Russell, Yousif Sheronick, and Andrew Gutauskas. Vienna takes us inside their creative process with excerpts from each track.  She also  reflects on what truly makes a great song, how her identity evolved with parenthood, and how she has connected with audiences through her climate action workshops. Vienna also shared insights into two other brilliant recent projects, her unique album We’ve Got You and  “The Riversitter” after Dave Eggers’ “The Museum of Rain”.

You’ll hear the charming story of how she actually found her stage name, some  highlights including opening for Joan Baez, performing on the Late Show with David Letterman and especially what it felt like to return to touring and recording after a ten-year hiatus after working in environmental sustainability. 

British flautist and composer Eliza Marshall joins me to celebrate her new album Eternal Birth — a bold, genre-defying project blending classical, folk and world traditions into a rich cinematic soundscape. Recorded in the UK and Senegal, the album features haunting flutes, whistles, bansuri, spoken word, percussion and electronics, alongside an exceptional cast of world-class and Grammy-winning musicians. Eliza shares stories from her wide-ranging career — from The Lion King and touring with Peter Gabriel to loop pedals, Ranagri, and her project Freedom to Roam — as well as reflections on creativity, risk-taking, re-wilding, and living a deeply connected musical life. This transcript is linked to the podcast.

My conversation with with Tammy Takaishi, a Board Certified Music Therapist, writer, and host of the Creative Peacemeal podcast. Tammy shares insights on her inspiring career in music therapy, the power of creativity, writing, and podcasting, and how she maintains a well-rounded, fulfilling life while preventing burnout. Linked are the podcast and video versions of this interview.